This invention relates to the transformation of motion in a nozzle arrangement for an ink jet printhead. In particular, this invention relates to the use of a lever mechanism to achieve the transformation of motion in such a nozzle arrangement.
The Applicant has invented a printhead which is capable of generating text and images at a resolution as high as 1600 dpi. In order to achieve this high resolution, the Applicant has utilized various aspects of micro electromechanical systems technology. The reason for this is that such systems provide a means whereby ink can be ejected independently from a plurality of nozzle arrangements without the use of thermal expansion of ink or other unsatisfactory systems such as those based on piezoelectric movement.
The nozzle arrangements are formed on a page width printhead. In order to achieve the high resolutions, up to 84000 nozzle arrangements can be formed on the page width printhead. Each of these nozzle arrangements is in the form of a micro electromechanical device that incorporates at least one working device which is displaceable to achieve or permit the ejection of ink from each nozzle arrangement.
The Applicant has found that a particular difficulty with such devices is that direct actuation of a working device is limited in the sense that it is often necessary to achieve a degree of movement of a working member that is greater than that that can be achieved through direct actuation. It is also often necessary to transform movement at one position to movement at another position.
Accordingly, the Applicant has conceived this invention to address the disadvantages associated with attempting to transform movement and also the relatively short degree of movement which is presently achieved by actuators in such nozzle arrangements.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a nozzle arrangement for an ink jet printhead which is the product of an integrated circuit fabrication technique, the nozzle arrangement comprising
a substrate;
a fulcrum member that is arranged on the substrate;
an elongate working member having a load arm and an effort arm, the working member being pivotally mounted on the fulcrum to be pivotal with respect to the substrate; and
an effort mechanism that is also arranged on the substrate and that is operatively engageable with the effort arm, the effort mechanism being configured to apply an effort to an end of the effort arm.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an ink jet printhead which is the product of an integrated circuit fabrication technique, the printhead comprising
a substrate,
a plurality of nozzle arrangements positioned on the substrate, each nozzle arrangement defining a nozzle chamber from which ink is to be ejected, and comprising
a fulcrum member that is arranged on the substrate;
an elongate working member having a load arm and an effort arm, the working member being pivotally mounted on the fulcrum to be pivotal with respect to the substrate;
an ink ejection mechanism that is arranged on the load arm for ejecting ink from the nozzle chamber; and
an effort mechanism that is also arranged on the substrate and that is operatively engageable with the effort arm, the effort mechanism being configured to apply an effort to an end of the effort arm.
The invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The specific nature of the following description should not be construed as limiting in any way the broader scope of the invention described in the above summary.